This invention relates to golf clubs, more specifically to comprehensive alignments between shaft, grip, and head; and in particular to a golf putter.
Golf putters basically consist of a shaft having a butt and a tip, a head on the tip of the shaft, and a grip inserted over the butt of the shaft. The head has a connector which accepts the shaft and connects the head to the shaft. On the head, distal in relation to the shaft, is a toe. Also on the head is a heel which is proximal in relation to the shaft. A face lies in between the heel and toe. That portion of the face which strokes the ball is the striking face.
Approximately 40-60% of all golf play occurs on the green and involves the use of a golf putter. Consequently, putting is a major and critical part of the game. There are three basic putting styles; (1) the pendulum stroke, (2) the cocked-wrist stroke, and (3) the wrist strike. The first two are the most common and used by the vast majority of golfers; amateur and professional alike. Each of the two common styles use the shoulders as the focal point and force behind the stroke. The arms, wrists, and hands are, and remain locked, throughout the stroke. The ball is "pushed" rather than struck. The stroke must be smooth, fluid, and un-interrupted, free of twitch (jerky stroke) and hesitation (minute disruptions to the stroke). On a vertical plane, the putter head should not pass beyond the golfer's hands. The wrists in particular should remain locked in position as any movement in the wrists is magnified in reaction at the putter head. The only difference between these two styles is the hand-wrist positions and shaft alignment with respect to the shoulders. In the pendulum style, the arms from the shoulders downward form a "V"; the wrists are in line with the arms. The shaft of the golf putter substantially bisects the "V" and is in substantial straight-line alignment from the putter head to the shoulders. By this alignment, the shaft becomes a long lever artificially extended from butt-end of the shaft to the focal point of the stroke. The shoulders as the fulcrum push the stroke through to the ball.
In the wrist-cock style, the arms at the elbows are straight, but the wrists and hands are locked in a slightly cocked position. The shaft of the golf putter is thereby slightly angled in relation to the bisection point of the "V" described above. In this style, the shoulder also acts as the focal point and fulcrum to push the stroke through to the ball. The wrists should remain locked in their cocked position. As with the pendulum style, the arms, in locked fashion, move in tandem with the shoulders. The hands attempt to hold the golf putter steady for the duration of the stroke.
The last style is the least used; mostly by beginners. In this style, the wrists rather than the shoulders provide the driving force to swing rather than to stroke the golf putter. The wrists unlock and become the pivot point of the swing. The ball is struck rather than stroked and, on a vertical plane, the putter head swings past the hands. In all styles, alignment between grip, shaft, and head; between golfer and putter; between putter and ball; and between ball and hole is, without question, paramount to a successful putt.
Putting entails the unity of physical and mental attributes which, much like links in a chain, where one is deficient, the unity is adversely affected. Mastering the art of putting projects a golfer into a higher caliber of play. The best putt is one in which the stroke is smooth, fluid, un-interrupted, free of twitch and hesitation, is dead square with the immediate target (the ball) and is square to and in `Target-Alignment` with the ultimate target (the hole). It encompasses a dynamic interplay between golfer (mental and physical), putter, ball (immediate target), topography, and hole (ultimate target). This is what is referred to as `Dynamic-Alignment`. Without every aspect of dynamic-alignment in proper play, the putting game suffers.
The first aspect of dynamic-alignment is `Physical-Alignment`. The concern here is for a proper union between golfer and putter such that the hand-to-putter relation is `dead flat`; i.e., the manner of gripping the putter. The dead-flat grip is where the thumbs are on top of the golf grip such that if a single straight line extended away from the sides of the thumb, that imaginary line would be perpendicular with the striking face of the putter head. Palms are on the sides of the golf grip such that similar imaginary lines extending outward therefrom would be parallel to striking face of the putter head.
The next aspect of dynamic alignment is `Impact-Alignment`. The concern here is on the putter and its immediate target (the ball) such that the putter-to-ball relation is `dead square`; i.e., how the putter striking face strikes the ball. Being dead-square with the ball means the golfer must ensure that only the longitudinal center of the striking face impacts the ball, that the striking face is perpendicular to a target line, that the imaginary lines projected by the thumbs in a `dead flat` grip is parallel to the target line, and that the ball (as longitudinally centered on the striking face) is between the target line and the striking face. Impact-alignment involves all elements of a putter (manner of gripping, grip, shaft, head, striking face, ball, and target line) as they relate to a ball before impact. It is by far the most critical aspect of dynamic-alignment and the primary, but not only, focus of this invention.
The final aspect of dynamic-alignment is target-alignment. In target-alignment the emphasis is on the ultimate target (the hole) and the ball. The interplay in this alignment relationship also entails to a great extent impact-alignment. To execute the very best putt possible, the golfer must ensure that he properly grips the club, that he is `dead square with the ball`, and that he is square on target. Optimum end-results are achieved when physical-alignment, impact-alignment, and target-alignment are in perfect harmony. Thus, dynamic-alignment is fully realized. A golfer who enjoys the totality of such an alignment, will play a markedly improved golf game. Anything less in any alignment process undermines dynamic-alignment. A putter, the structure of which augments a golfer's manual attempts at achieving dynamic-alignment, is a technological break-through in the unquestionably crowded art of golf.
The game of golf is a difficult, physically and mentally demanding, game. Though some have devised clubs and putters which have some alignment-oriented characteristics, none have had the vision which the present invention incorporates. Circular or substantially rounded grips, shafts, and connectors on heads, in any combination, make the realization of dynamic-alignment extremely difficult if not impossible. First, in assembling such clubs and putters, the assembler must individually ensure impact-alignment, the most critical aspect of dynamic-alignment, is attained with each club or putter assembled. This important phase to club fitting has a great potential, albeit unintentional, to undermine dynamic-alignment. Second, even if impact-alignment is achieved in an assembly, any portion of a club or putter which is rounded or substantially circular tends to nurture a false perception in the alignment process where it counts most; in play. A golfer must visualize a parallel or a perpendicular relationship to the target, the ball, and the striking face while using rounded or substantially circular reference points (i.e., the grip, shaft, and head of a club or putter). A difficult task, even for the professional, and one which tends to further undermine dynamic-alignment. And finally, the feel when hand and grip are in union must be perfect and impact-alignment oriented. Each of these adverse potentials, when combined, compound the adverse affects and vitiate dynamic-alignment.
Any slight edge for a golfer, particularly in the critical alignment processes, results in a major advantage in play. Similarly, any improvement over the prior art which accords an edge to a golfer is a significant improvement over the prior art. Golf is an undeniably popular sport. Millions play regularly and routinely attempt to improve their game. Many attempt to improve the quality of the clubs with which they play so that they, and others like them, may play better.
Many modifications to clubs and putters have been made and patented in the past. All such enhancements to the implements of the game strive to achieve a better play for the golfer. Some attempts to improve club structure include Mancuso's `Golf Club Including Pentagonal Grip`, U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,191; Southey's `Arthritic Golf Club Grip`, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,926; and Takeshima's `Golf Club Grip`, U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,440. Also related is Martinet's `Method of Teaching the Positioning of a Golfer's Hands on a Golf Club`, U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,380; and, to a lesser degree, Uke's `Hand Grip for Sporting Equipment or Tools`, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,804.
Mancuso discloses a pentagonal grip having a flat upper surface (impact-alignment surface) with all other flat surfaces off-angle to critical moments of play, in particular to impact-alignment. Consequently, such a grip distorts impact-alignment and dynamic-alignment rather than enhances them. The inner chamber of the grip is circular suited for a circular shaft. In addition to distorting dynamic-alignment, it fails to address mounting-alignment. The sole purpose of Mancuso's invention is to aid a golfer in properly positioning his hands on clubs.
Southey's grip is also suited for circular shafts whereas the chamber of the grip is substantially rectangular with one arcuate surface. When the grip is inserted over the circular shaft, four longitudinal rounded projections appear on the outer surface of the grip. These projections aid in gripping a club; they do nothing for dynamic-alignment, impact-alignment, or mounting-alignment.
Takeshima discloses a grip with multiple surfaces, all but one of which are flat surfaces--the upper surface. The upper, impact-alignment, surface is arched. The grip is suited for circular shafts. Like the aforementioned devices, this invention is not suited to dynamic-alignment, impact-alignment, or mounting-alignment.
Martinet discloses a teaching method which incorporates the use of a grip having multiple outer flat surfaces. The surfaces generally range in number from 5 to 9. As a learner progresses, grips with more surfaces are used until the learner can adequately handle round-surface grip. This grip is suited for circular shafts. The grip may also have multiple inner flat surfaces. But in this configuration, the outer surface is circular. In no event are the inner and outer surfaces reciprocally flat. Martinet is not structured for dynamic-alignment, impact-alignment, or mounting-alignment.
Uke discloses a grip having multiple inner and reciprocal outer flat surfaces--generally octagonal. The inner surfaces have cushions to provide softness to the handle. The grip device is suited for high-impact force absorption. Though it has flat inner and outer surfaces, it is neither impact-alignment nor mounting-alignment structured.
None of the prior art devices take into account totality of alignment imperative to golf and primarily to putting. None have been able to augment the manual execution of dynamic-alignment. They have focused primarily on limited or isolated aspects of the game. They did not relate to the comprehensive nature and associated interplay of the game. The present invention, with its focus on impact-alignment through manufacture, play, follow-on repairs, and after-market add-ons achieves that which was missing in the prior art. Not only does the present invention, with its structure and mounting-alignment means definitively establish impact-alignment and augment dynamic-alignment at the outset, such configurations facilitate the assembly of clubs and putters and any after-market changes without affecting factory-tuned impact-alignment. Many golf pro shops assemble clubs and putters on the premises. It is a simple process whereby a tip is mounted, aligned, and fixed to a shaft and a grip is mounted and aligned on that shaft. What is not simple is realizing an accurate, consistent mounting alignment in the assembly process. Mounting-alignment is also critical to play. Deviations in mounting-alignment which could alter actual or perceived, impact-alignment undermines dynamic-alignment and, consequently, would adversely affect the play. Painstaking measures are employed to ensure that mounting-alignment is accurate. These steps are repeated over and over. As with all manual repetitions, deviations result. These deviations ultimately affect the play of the game.
The present invention not only augments impact-alignment in play, but also in assembly. All elements of this invention are precision-tuned once. Once proper alignments are attained on each element, the elements are manufactured and distributed for final assembly. The features of this invention make the assembly process no more difficult than inserting a matching glove onto a mating hand--merely slip the pieces together. All the elements have been pre-aligned with impact-alignment pre-eminent in the process. Once attained at the outset, mounting-alignment, physical-alignment, impact-alignment, target-alignment, and dynamic-alignment follow. The enhancements of the present invention augments dynamic-alignment and facilitates assembly, modification, and repair.